Pyrophoric lighter



Oct. 7, 1941. I j BLLEI 2,258,086

PYROPHORI C LI GHTER Filed June 14, 1939 Patented Oct. 7, 1941 UNITED STAT Eis PATENT OFI-wr vv"Leon Bolle, Geneva, Switzerland, assigner tolLa Nationale S. A., Geneva, Switzerland, Aa, corporation of Switzerland Application June 14, 1939, Serial No.1f279,225 f` In-Switzerland July 9, 1938 J4 claims'.A (c1. J7-7.1)

In apyrophoriclighter, the wick cap, `that is tov say'the member which ensures the fluidi tight closure of the Wick-carrying tube,` isA generally mounted, with or without freedoml of movementjon a lever or in a pivoted cover subjected to-the action of a spring adapted to hold this lever vor cover in one or other of. the `extreme positions of-u'se or even in each of these positions `at different times. The spring which is ablade or coiled spring, frequently has va; position which is `iixed relatively to the containerfo'f the lighterand its action is applied to a heel secured to the pivoted lever. The movement of this'heel in front of the stationary springtherefore sets up friction'and consequentlyvwear, which llatter,

is the.- greater `the shorter and less flexible the spring.vr When itis desired simply to reduce the size ofy the spring or in'a lighter. with' an automatic cover to ensuregreater freedom of movement of the cover,v it is always desirable to reduce the `friction as much as possible.v Y The 'present-invention has for its subject device which enables this friction and the wear to be reduced to a considerable extent by'the vlise of aY short and strong spring which is necessary when it is desired to effect an energetic v closure Iofthe cap. n This deviceisk formed by a telescopic rod comprising two sliding parts which bear respectively against Vthev ends of a compression spring andr this position thea'rm: I5bears againsta transverse member 2 Igof the body I2. As will be seen, for passing from the lclosed position F, indicated vin full lines to the closed position, the spring I8 with its guide I6, I'I, oscillates from opposite sides of the dead center position .located along the plane S passingthrough the hinge II of the cover 'I0 and the end of the knife edge of the guide part Il, It will be seen that the arc traversed by the hingev 22of-the arm I5, from the planeS to the position F, is considerably larger than that traversed by the'hinge from the plane S to the position kO.- It'will also be seen that in the positionuF the :spring I8 acts substantially serve'ito guide the same, one of the parts resting n against a stationary portion of the lighter while the other rests against a-portion of the cover to`- be actuated. v,

Four forms of construction of the subject of the invention are shown diagrammatically by way ofexample in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 are sectional elevations of" these four different forms of construction.

Referring to Fig. 1 the cover I0 of the lighter is hinged at I I to the body I2and itself carries the cap I3 for closing'the wick-carrying tube I4, the cap I3 being subjected to the action of a spring 23. The coverill isprovided with an arm I5 on in the same directionasthe initial displacement of arm I5 from'closed position, that is to say with the maximum forcavvhich enables an absolutely fluid-tight closurev of v`the cap I3 on the wickcarrying tube I4'to be obtained. v

VIn the form lof construction shown in Fig.-2, the guide for the'spring I8 is formed bya rod 24 hinged at 22 tothe lever I5 yof the cover', and by` a small tube 25 which is rounded at its end 26 and engageswith the corner formed between the wall of the body I2 and the fuel container.

The rod 24Venters the spring I8, and the tube l 25 surrounds thel'atter.'

The operation is the same as in the example but by reason of its position in the body I2, the action of the spring is-lessadvantageous in the positionF than in the first form of construction. l'

Inthe form of construction shown in Fig.l 3, the cover I0 carries an arm 21 to the end of which there is hinged at 22 a rod 28 constituting with a small tube 28 a telescopic'guide for the coiledspring I8. The rod 28 enters the spring I8 and the tube 28 surroundsthe latter.

The tube 29 is provided at its end with a knife edge 3D resting in a corresponding angular sharpedged seating 2| of the wick-carrying tube I4.

the end of which there is hinged at 22 a part I6 o f a telescopic guide for a coiled spring I8, the other part Il of this 'guide being provided at its end With a knifeedge bearing againstl the wall of a seating I9 of the body I2 through the medium of a small member 2|] resting on this wall. The spring surrounds the parts I6, I1 of its guide.

In the drawing the open position O of the cover has been shown in broken lines, together with the corresponding position of the springA I8. In

edge against a member.: 32 secured to the body I2`of the lighter. The other part I8 is hinged to an arm 33 ofthe kcover I0 located in suchv a preceding l manner that the spring I8 of the rod is approximately compressed to the maximuni amount when the cover is closed (position F). For giving the spring a sufficient length and ensuring an advantageous position for the rod, the upper wall 34 of the container of the lighter is slightly inclined at the rear portion thereof. When releasing the cover l0, `by pressing the knob 35, the spring IB expands up t0 the position O where the cover is stopped by meeting the body I2. It will be seen that in this form of construction the swinging displacement of the rod always takes `place on the same side of the plane S-S.

` It will be understood that modications may 'be made in the details of the devices described vThe rod may also be formed by two tubularv members sliding onewithin the other and containingthe spring, these members being provided with rounded ends or with a sharp edge.

I claim:

l. A pyrophoric lighter comprising a container including a body formed with a recess at its upper end, a wick carrying tube mounted in the said recess and having a triangular sharp-edged notch in the sidethereoi, a cover hinged to the body at the upper edge of said recess for pivotal movement toward and from the body alternately to cover and uncover said recess therein, an arm carried by the cover adjacent its point of pivotal connection with the body and extending downwardly into said recess of the body, and means arranged between said wick tube and the lower end of said arm carried by the cover for I'ring the latter, said means comprising a pair of telescopically related members compressing a spring therebetween, one of said members having a pivotal engagement with the lower end of said. arm carried by the cover and the other ot said members having a knife edge for engaging with said notch in the wick tube.

2. A pyrophoric lighter comprising a container having a body providedlwith a recess at its upper end, a-wick tube within the recess, a cover hinged to the body at one end 0f said recess and adapted to be moved into and out of closing irelation to said recess, and spring means for holding said cover in-its fully open or fully closed position, said means including an arm carried by the cover and projecting into the recess when the cover is closed, and a pair of spring tensioned telescopic members normally arranged parallel to the bottom of the recess of the body when the cover is closed and disposed between said wick tube and the lower end of said arm.

3. In a pyrophoric lighter, a body portion, a cover for said body portion, a Wick tube projecting upward from said body portion near one side thereof toward said cover, pivot means for pivotally mounting said cover on said body portion on the other side thereof, an arm xedly carried by said cover adjacent said pivot means, the portion of said wick tube above said body portion being provided on its side toward said pivotv means with'a triangular recess having a sharp internal edge substantially parallelto the axis of said pivot means, and a resilient telescopic unit comprising a pair of mutually penetrable telescopic elements and a helical, spring mutually engageable therewith, one of said elements being pivotally mounted on said arm, and the other `of said elements being provided with a terminal knife edge and mounted with said knife edge received within said recess, whereby movement of said cover about said pivot means is subjected to accelerating resilient toggle :action.. l v

4. In a pyrophoric lighter, a body portion, a cover for said body portion, a wick tube projecting upward from said body portion near one side thereof toward said cover, pivot means for pivotally mounting'said cover on said body p0rtion on the other' side thereof, an arm xedly carriedby said cover` adjacent said pivot means, the portion of said wick tube abovesaid body portion being provided on its side toward said pivot means with a triangular recess having a sharp internaledge substantially parallel to the axis of said pivot means, `and a resilient telescopic unit comprising a sleeve, a helical spring received and mounted within said sleeve, and a rod positioned within said helical spring, said rod being pivotally mounted on said arm, said sleeve being provided with a terminal knife edge and mounted with said knife edge received Within said recess, whereby movement of said cover about said pivot means causes Vconfined linear expansion and contraction of said helical spring and imparts resilient toggle acceleration to said cover as it moves.

LEON BOLLE. 

